Podarcis muralis
(Laurenti, 1768)
poh-DAR-sis — MYUR-ah-lis
SSAR 9th Edition Comments:
Native to Europe. It was introduced to New Jersey (Conant, 1945, Copeia 1945: 233) and is established in Indiana (Walker and Deichsel, 2005, Herpetological Review 36: 302), Kentucky (Draud and Ferner, 1994, Herpetological Review 25: 33), Ohio (Vigle, 1977, Herpetological Review Supplement 8: 19), and British Columbia (Allan et al., 1993, The ecology of introduced Common Wall Lizards (Podarcis muralis) in Saanich, Vancouver Island. Final Report, British Columbia Ministry of Environment. 24pp; Kraus, 2009, Alien Reptiles and Amphibians: A Scientific Compendium and Analysis. SpringerVerlag, Heidelberg, Germany).
(Krysko, Kenneth and Travis W. Taggart. 2025. Established Exotic Species. Pages 64-87 in Kirsten E. Nicholson (Editor), Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, 9th Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Lawrence, Kansas. 87 pp.)
Errata/Changes: Page 82: The (Kraus, 2009) reference should be "Kraus, 2009, Alien Reptiles and Amphibians: A Scientific Compendium and Analysis. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands". — (06/11/2025)
Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH.
(Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2025.04.03.09.46.24)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 0.44 MB
Taxonomic Etymology:
Named for its typical habitat—walls and rocky structures.
Podarcis — As above, from Greek roots implying “swift-footed” or “active-footed.”
muralis — From Latin muralis, meaning “of walls” or “wall-dwelling.” Refers to the species’ common habit of basking and foraging on stone walls and masonry in its native range.
First instance(s) of published English names:
Wall Lizard (Lacerta muralis: Gray, John E. 1830. A synopsis of the species of the class reptilia. Pages 1-110 in The Animal Kingdom Arranged in Conformity with its Organization by the Baron Cuvier, member of teh Institute of France, with Additional Descriptions of all the Species Hitherto Named, and of many not before noticed. Ninth Volume. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London, England. pp.);
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
The Reptile Database
GenBank
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
Selected References:
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1768
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Laurenti, Josephi N. Specimen medicum exhibens synopsin reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota reptilium austriacorum. [A medical specimen presenting an improved synopsis of reptiles with experiments on the venoms and antidotes of Austrian reptiles.] Typ. Joan. Thom. Nob. de Trattnern, Viennae. 214pp.
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1977
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Vigle, G. O. The history and distribution of an introduced population of Lacerta muralis (Reptilia, Sauria, Lacertidae), in Cincinnati, Ohio. Herpetological Review Supplement 8:19
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1993
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Allan, Michael, Patrick T. Gregory, and Christopher J. Prelypchan. The ecology of introduced Common Wall Lizards (Podarcis muralis) in Saanich, Vancouver Island. Final Report, British Columbia Ministry of Environment. 24pp.
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1994
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Draud, Matthew and John Ferner. Podarcis muralis (common wall lizard). USA: Kentucky. Herpetological Review 25(1):33
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1999
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Harris, D. James, and E. Nicholas Arnold. Relationships of wall lizards, Podarcis (Reptilia: Lacertidae) based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. Copeia 1999(3):749-754
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2005
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Walker, Z. and Guntram Deichsel. Geographic distribution: Podarcis muralis. Herpetological Review 36:302
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2005
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Podnar, Martina, Werner Mayer, and Nikola Tvrtkovic. Phylogeography of the Italian wall lizard, Podarcis sicula,
as revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Ecology 2005(14):575–588
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2009
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Kraus, Fred. Alien Reptiles and Amphibians: A Scientific Compendium and Analysis. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 563pp.
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